Tenderly

Artist Profile

• Katsuki Sugawara

  Born and raised in Nagasaki, Japan, Katsuki Sugahara was inspired by her father, a musician and former owner of a local jazz club. She began singing and playing piano at an early age, and in high school, encouragement from friends led her to pursue her path as a singer. In her twenties, she relocated to Fukuoka, where she began performing regularly at jazz clubs, events, hotels, restaurants, and bars, steadily building her career. During this time, she also stayed in Los Angeles and New York, studying with local musicians and refining her craft. From March 2018, Katsuki spent a year and a half in Toronto, Canada, where she recorded with some of the countrys top jazz musicians, including world renowned bassist Neil Swainson and guitaristarranger Reg Schwager. Her crowdfunding campaign to release the album reached its goal in less than a week, and her debut album Tenderly was released in October 2019. In October 2024, she produced and released the jazzbossa nova compilation album Love In The Air, featuring seven musicians from both Canada and Japans Kyushu region. In May 2025, fulfilling a lifelong dream, she traveled to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, to record with her mentor Choko Kimura Aiken based in Alabama and world renowned trumpeter Leroy Jones, along with three other local musicians. The result was her latest album, Essence of New Orleans, released in August 2025. Now based in Fukuoka, Katsuki continues to perform actively across Japan, captivating audiences with her warm yet powerful voice and expressive interpretations from vibrant swing numbers to delicate ballads.

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